L'amour Trouvera Un Chemin
by Lumielle
Summary: Belle was always meant to fall in love with the beast. They were soulmates. But what if Belle loved someone even more. How will this effect the story and its characters. How can Belle ever find happiness if she is destined for one while she longs for another (who just so happens to be destined for another as well). Lumielle: Belle/Lumiere
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! So I saw the new Beauty and the Beast movie and I just absolutely feel in love with the pairing of Belle and Lumiere, or Lumielle. Unfortunately, I've only managed to find two stories in existence with this pairing. One was a one shot written a long time ago, and the other is a story in progress known as Enchantment's Lament by EmmaLennyEddie. It's really good if you haven't read it yet. I definitely suggest that you do so. So I decided to make my own story! I have a lot of this planned out and I even have some of it written. It will cover the movie, Enchanted Christmas, and a little bit from Belle's Magical World.**

 **This is my first Beauty and the Beast fic, but not my first fanfiction. I have another account. However, I'm super behind on my stories there and don't want to add another story for my fans to yell about. Updates might be a little slow, but I've been really into this, so hopefully it won't be too bad.**

 **I also want to add that I'm not French nor have I ever taken French. I'm doing my best on what I know from Lumiere and a little bit of research online. But if I mess up, please don't jump down my throat for it! I'm doing the best I can, lol. Just enjoy the ride and I hope you enjoy my story! The romance will definitely be slow burning between these two. After all, we have the beast and Plummet to worry about and the drama that will create.**

 **One more thing to add, this isn't strictly from the animated movie or the new movie. It's honestly a little of both, probably leaning more towards the new movie, but still. It won't be completely like the new movie, just a lot alike. Hopefully you'll still enjoy it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything that's Beauty and the Beast. It all belongs to Disney.**

 **Chapter One:**

Belle slid down the bars of her cell, landing on her knees, and shivered as the sound of her father's' cries faded away. She called out for him, begging the beast not to hurt him. The young maiden could feel the prickling sensation that warned her of oncoming tears. Belle pushed herself back up and ran to the empty space where a wall should be located, but none existed. She clung to the brick edge, ignoring the endless drop off the side of the tower, and watched desperately as the beast carried her father away.

"I'll come back for you!" Maurice promised his daughter just before they exited the castle. Belle could just barely make out the courtyard, where the beast threw her father into a carriage. When the beast turned away, the carriage stood up and walked off, leaving the castle grounds and carrying the only family she had away from her..

When the cart faded from view, Belle sunk to the floor once more. She allowed the tears to finally fall, though she tried to stay silent. There was no way she was going to give this beast the satisfaction of hearing her cry. Giving up her freedom had not been an easy choice, but Belle would do anything for her father. Everything she was was because of him. He protected her her whole life and now she was doing the same thing for him.

She sat there in the same position for several hours it seemed. Her knees were beginning to hurt from the hard concrete floor. Belle shifted so that she could sit down properly and then she drew her legs to her chest. Her tears slowly began to dry up and the sobs she worked hard to repress got easier to ignore. Soon enough, she was just blankly staring at the wall.

For a fleeting moment, Belle wished she had a book. It was only just beginning to dawn on her how lonely it was going to be. For the rest of her life, she would be stuck here in this musty cell with nothing but the walls to look at. Belle never imagined her life would go this way.

The sound of her cell door creaking open drew Belle away from her depressing thoughts. She stood up quickly, wiping away any stray tears, and looked around for something she could use to protect herself. The room was mostly bare, save for a few odd stray items and the straw in the corner that Belle assumed would be her bed. However, she caught sight of a small stool and quickly reached for it. Then she slowly inched towards the opening, her heart thumping in her chest.

"Forgive my intrusion, Mademoiselle, but I have come to escort you to your room." Belle was surprised to hear, not the beast, but the voice of a charming frenchman. It was a pleasant surprise indeed. The man had a very trusting and caring voice to him. However, Belle remained cautious. Something still felt off about the whole situation.

"My room?" Belle asked, stunned. She had been sure that the beast planned on keeping her locked away in this tower for the rest of her life. "But I thought…" She started to say as she slowly and cautiously walked out of the cell, but she was interrupted by the man once more.

"Oh, what that Mr. 'Once this door closes it will not open again!'" Belle finally walked around the wall and the speaker came into view right as he made a small roar to imitate the beast. Belle gasped in shock. Instead of a man, there was a golden candelabra. "I know, he gets so dramatic! Hello!" The candle grinned and waved at her before jumping onto the ground.

Without thinking, Belle screamed and smashed the stool onto the candle man. The stool completely shattered, but the candle was completely unharmed, though a bit dazed. "Oh you are very strong! This is a great quality!" He chuckled as he pushed the seat of the stool off of him. Then he stood up once more and grinned at a bewildered Belle.

"What are you?" She asked, her eyes wide with fear and perhaps a small trace of wonderment. "I am Lumiere!" He replied as if it were simplest fact in the world. Belle shook her head. "And, you can talk?" Belle stated, though it came out more like a question.

"Well of course he can talk!" A new voice spoke up from the stairs and Belle turned to see a clock climbing up to join them. "It's all he ever does." He finished. The glass in front of the clock's face opened, but he simply shut it before glaring at Lumiere. "Now Lumiere, as head of the household, I demand that you put her back in her cell at once."

Belle turned back around while the two of them conversed and looked for something else that she could use as a weapon. She wanted to be able to protect herself in case these guys weren't as harmless as they seemed. She spotted a dark blue vase and picked it up. It was small but she hoped it would provide enough of a distraction so that she could get away.

"What do you want to be for the rest of your life, Cogsworth? A man, or a metal clock?" Lumiere hissed at his friend before turning back to Belle, who had reemerged with the vase held up in defense. "Ready miss?" He asked her, much to Cogsworth displeasure. Lumiere winked at him and told Cogsworth to trust him.

Belle stood there for a second more, unsure of what she should do. She looked down at Cogsworth, who still had a terrified expression on his face. "Come, come!" Lumiere beckoned her. She decided that she didn't want to remain here in the prison tower. She set the vase down beside Cogsworth and followed after Lumiere.

"Oh, this isn't going to end well." She could vaguely hear the clock mutter before he ran after them. When he caught up to them, Belle had picked up Lumiere and the two were slowly making their way through the darkened hallway. When they emerged outside, Lumiere decided to speak again. "You must forgive first impressions, mademoiselle. I hope you are not too startled."

"Why would I be startled? I'm talking to a candle." Belle informed him, talking rather fast. She was honestly feeling very anxious at this point. Losing her father and being imprisoned by a beast was hard enough, but to meet talking furniture? That was too much even for an open-minded woman like her.

"Candelabra." Lumiere winked. "The castle is your home now, feel free to go anywhere."

"Except the west wing." Cogsworth spoke up, much to Lumiere's dismay. "Which we do not have!" He quickly tried to correct himself when Lumiere shot him a pointed glare. However, Belle's curiosity had already been peaked and she asked what was in the west wing. "Nothing! Storage space!" Both Cogsworth and Lumiere assured her hurriedly.

"Hurry now, on to the East wing." Cogsworth stirred the conversation away from the west wing and began leading them on once more. "Or as I like to call it, the only wing!" Lumiere grinned.

When they walked through the tower door, Lumiere jumped out of Belle's hands and unto Cogsworths head before landing on the ground. "Ah here we are! Your new home." Lumiere opened the door leading to the bedroom. "It's modest, but comfortable."

Belle walked into the bedroom and couldn't help but gape in awe. The room was absolutely exquisite! She had never seen anything so beautiful in her entire life. It was a room that one would only see in a fairy tale. "It's beautiful." She managed to say after several seconds of silent admiration.

"But of course! Master wanted you to have the best room in the castle." Lumiere informed her as he jumped onto the bed. However, the room was covered in a thin layer of dust that puffed up when he did so. "Pff, excuse the mess. We weren't expecting company."

There was a streak of white and Belle heard someone giggling. She followed it and saw a beautiful swan feather duster twirling in the air. "Don't worry mademoiselle, I'll have this room spotless in no time!" She promised before she twirled into Lumiere's arms. "This plan of yours, it's dangerous." She whispered to him.

"I would do anything to kiss you once more." Lumiere held the feather duster close. Belle smiled when she realized that the two of them were courting. It made them seem more human and it was actually really cute. Belle felt herself relaxing, if one a little. If these… people… could love, perhaps they weren't as bad as the beast. Maybe they were just as trapped here as she was.

"No, my love! I've been burned by you before. We must stay strong." She lightly pushed away from him, but Belle could see she put no effort into it. "How can I be strong, when you make me so weak." Lumiere pulled her closer, his voice deep with passion.

Belle giggled while Cogsworth cleared his throat. "Is everything here alive?" Belle asked as she walked over to the dresser and picked up a hairbrush. "Hello, what is your name?"

The other three occupants began laughing, much to Belle's embarrassment. "That is a hairbrush." Cogsworth informed her. Belle sat it back down on the dresser, feeling really awkward. She jumped, however, when the dresser suddenly opened and began singing a really high note.

"Oh, do not be alarmed, miss! This is just your wardrobe! Meet Madame Gardarobe! She is an excellent singer" Lumiere introduced her. He had jumped down from the bed and ran over to stand beside her and Cogsworth.

"When she can stay awake." Cogsworth added when she let out a loud yawn and informed him that she was going to take a little nap. "Oh, madame! Stay with us now! We have you someone to dress!" Lumiere informed her.

"Finally! A woman, let me look at you. Pretty eyes, proud face, perfect canvas! Yes, I will make you something worthy of a princess!" Madame Garderobe promised her as she looked Belle over.

"Oh, I'm not a princess." Belle informed her with a slightly sour face.

"Nonsense! Hold still now." The wardrobe opened her drawer and a bunch of insects flew out. "Oh, how embarrassing!" Suddenly, Belle was being encircled by all kinds of fabric. "Frufru! Come help mommy!" She called out and a piano stool came running into the room, barking. He grabbed one of the fabric strands and pulled it tight. Belle gasped at the sudden feeling.

When everything relaxed, Belle was wearing an assortment of shredded fabric and a hideous, moldy wig. "I like it, subtle, understated." Lumiere said as he and Cogsworth back out of the room. The feather duster had already flown out. Cogworth turned and walked away, leaving Lumiere there to close the door.

Lumiere had paused by the door, holding it open just a crack to peek within. Despite not having an actually heart in this form, he could've sworn it clenched when Belle crawled out from under the dress and threw herself onto her bed. She began to sob uncontrollably. The poor girl was scared to death! He hadn't thought about how this was affecting her. He had only been thinking about the curse and how she could be the answer. The girl has lost her father and her freedom in a span of a few short minutes, while simultaneously learning that magic was real. He couldn't imagine what was going through her head.

Lumiere pushed the door back open, glad that Cogsworth had already taken his leave. He wouldn't be much help in that moment, not with his posh and very by-the-book attitude.

"Mademoiselle?" He quietly spoke, hoping not to frighten her once more. Belle lifted her head in surprise. "Oh, Monsieur Lumiere, I'm sorry. I thought you had already left." She quickly tried wiping the tears away, hiccuping slightly.

"I apologize for disturbing you. I figured you could use a friend. I know we are not technically friends for we do not know one another. But I thought, perhaps, if you were willing, we could be so?" He asked her, almost a little too hopefully.

Belle tilted her head curiously and giggled slightly. His awkwardly hopeful proposal was very enduring. Belle figured it wouldn't hurt to give him a chance. She patted the side of the bed, inviting him to join her. He grinned and jumped up to land beside her. For a few minutes, neither spoke a word and instead sat in silence. Lumiere wasn't used to silence, in fact, he hated it. The Maitre'D always had something to say.

"Tell me, Cherie, what is your village like? I have lived in the palace my whole life and only have very vague memories of the outside world." Lumiere finally spoke when the silence became too much. He wanted to distract her mind from the castle and figured her home village would be a good way to do so.

Belle hummed thoughtfully. In truth, she never felt like her village was home. She had always felt like an outsider and the villagers attitude towards her only solidified that feeling. Her books were the only comfort she got, excluding her father of course. "My village is like any other small village in France. The same routine is done everyday. I wake up to the villagers bustling around, going about their chores. Nothing new ever happens. It's honestly quite dreary and boring." Belle explained sullenly.

"Hmm, that is exactly what I expected. Perhaps that is why my family preferred court life." Lumiere remarked.

"Prehaps. My only true escape was to read. Books could take me on exciting adventures in far off locations. When I read, for just a little while, I was no longer Belle, a simple farm girl in a small village; I was whatever I wanted to be. I was a wizard, an adventurer, a pirate, a fairy, even a princess! The list goes on and on! Oh monsieur, reading was the only magic I truly knew!" Belle's voice grew in excitement with every word she spoke. Lumiere found himself mesmerized by her. He was not illiterate, Lumiere had spent many hours when he was human reading. He would even write his own poetry if he thought of something good. Belle's expression fell, however, causing the candelabra to frown. "Now that I know magic truly exists, I can't help but feel disappointed."

"Madame, I know it all seems dark now, but keep your chin up! Your story is not over yet! Everything will work out in the end." The Maitre'D tried to assure the girl. Belle didn't seem convinced, but she nodded slightly.

"I hope you are right."

"But of course! I am rarely wrong about these sort of things, mon cherie! Come now, let me see you smile. I'm quite certain you have a beautiful one." He encouraged her with a brazen grin. Belle smiled shyly, cheeks flushing in embarrassment. She really wasn't used to such blatant compliments. She had, of course, heard the whispers of the villagers about her beauty. However, she had never really thought it was true. "I was right, absolutely stunning!" He winked at her.

Belle giggled, "Thank you, monsieur. You have certainly helped me feel a lot better."

"C'était un plaisir d'y assister, mon chérie." Lumière took one of her hands in his own candle hand and brought it to his lips. Belle was surprised by the gesture, but accepted it nonetheless. "Now then, I believe dinner is in order, oui? I imagine you you are starving."

"Quite so." Belle replied, her stomach rumbling.

Lumiere hopped off the bed and made his way to the door. He turned back around and gestured towards a dresser. "Feel free to borrow any dress you so desire. They are made of the finest silk and I know they will look lovely on you." He winked at her once again before finally taking his leave, shutting the door behind him.

Belle chuckled, blushing at yet another compliment he had given her. She didn't think she'd ever get used to it. Belle stood up and wandered over to the dresser. When she reached for the handle, the dresser suddenly opened on it's own. "Oh my, what time is it!? What have I missed?"

"Hello. I'm afraid I didn't get to introduce myself yet. My name is Belle." She spoke softly.

"Hello, dear! Oh, aren't you a vision. I have so many dressers here that would look beautiful on you." The dresser looked Belle over. Finally, the dresser looked down and grabbed a pretty green dress from within a drawer. "This one here! It will certainly make your eyes pop!" She giggled and handed Belle the dress.

Belle smiled and accepted it graciously. She laid it carefully on the bed before sitting beside it and sighing. "Everything alright, dear?" The dresser asked. Belle brought her legs and wrapped her around to hold them in place. She rested her head on her knees. "I'm worried about my father. He's never been on his own before. I cannot imagine how he is feeling.

"Cheer up, mademoiselle. I'm sure everything will turn out alright in the end." The dresser comforted her.

"I hope so. And thank you. I'm glad that you and Monsieur Lumiere are kind. I was afraid that everyone here would be just as frightful as the beast." Belle frowned, though she released her legs and instead tucked them to her side. Her new friend only smiled kindly.

"The master is not as terrible as he appears. You will learn in time, I'm sure. Just give him a chance. He has a fiery temper, but deep down, I know he is a good man." Madame Gardarobe explained. Belle nodded, though she didn't necessarily believed her. Nothing about the beasts behavior thus far led her to believe he had any true human feelings within him.

"While I appreciate your words, I cannot believe them until I see the truth of them myself." Was Belle's only response. The dresser nodded in understanding before silence fell upon them. Belle turned her attention towards her bedroom door, and for a fleeting moment, her thoughts turned to Monsieur Lumiere and the kindness he had shown her, unaware that he was doing the exact same thing.

Lumiere had shut the door and paused in front of it for a minute. He had a very heavy feeling in his metal chest, though it didn't feel bad. Something had shifted after his talk with Belle, but he wasn't sure what. The Maitre D' certainly hoped he made her feel a little better. He never could handle a crying woman. He believed that women should be treated with the utmost respect and he always did what he could to make them smile!

Belle was so new to the castle and she did not have a good start. But he hoped he could fix the damage his master had already done and help them fall in love. He wanted to be human again so that he could hold his darling Plummet in his arms once more.

Dinner was the first step! So with a cheerful grin on his face, Lumiere made his way to the kitchen

 **And there you go! The first chapter is done! Hopefully you enjoyed it. I'd love to hear some feedback from you, so give me your thoughts! Au Revoir.**

 **French to English Translation (If this is wrong, I blame the internet. And no I didn't use translation):**

 **C'était un plaisir d'y assister, mon chérie: It was my pleasure to assist, my dear.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello everyone! Welcome back to L'amour Trouvera Un Chemin (I'll probably start calling it LATUC for short!). I've gotten a couple reviews and each one of them has made me so happy! So of course, I'm going to have to reply to each of them.**

 **XxRebelWriterxX: I hope this chapter is just as interesting as the first! Thanks for the review! (Please leave me another one, I love them so much!)**

 **singertobe: That's completely fine! I know this has mostly been the new movie, that's the freshest one in my mind, but I will mix it up later, towards the end, and it will be more of the animated one. I'm even using one of the three stories from Belle's magical world and also Enchanted Christmas. I hope this chapter lives up to the first! Enjoy!**

 **EmmaLennyEddie: Of course I mentioned you! You were the first multi fic Lumiere/ Belle story I came acrossed. Hopefully we can get more people into this ship so we can enjoy more stories. Thank you. Usually when I write, I have a habit of going too fast with my words and actions. I'm going over this story multiple times to ensure that doesn't happen. I'm glad you think I'm a talented writer (you nearly made me cry at that part, just so you know) and I think you are too! I'm definitely taking my time to write this and make it as perfect as possible. I've already written certain scenes, but I plan on going through and edited them to make sure they fit in with the story and have little to no error. Thank you for your review and I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much as the first one!**

 **And there you have it! Thank you to everyone who follow/favorited as well. I know you're out there, hiding, waiting for the next chapter. Please, leave me a review so I know how much you hate… er, I mean love my story! You criticism is important to me! Just please don't flame me. I worked hard on this and if you don't like it, simply don't read it.**

 **Alright, on with the story!**

 **Chapter Two:**

It wasn't long after Lumiere left the room that Belle came up with an idea on how to escape. She had gone to the window to see if there was any way for her to climb down the side of the castle. Unfortunately, there was nothing she'd be able to hang onto. The drop was steep and the bricks were built smooth all the way down, with no edges or decorations that she could use as foot holes.

However, she was not to be deterred. Belle turned towards the scraps of fabric that Madame Gardarobe had left behind when she had attempted to dress her. She figured there was enough fabric to create a sturdy rope that would drop all the way to the ground. It would take Belle all night to tie everything together, but she was determined. Belle was a very headstrong girl, when she put her mind to something, she would do anything to achieve that goal.

Belle began by tying a couple pieces together. Then, when it was long enough, she tied it to the side of her bed. The bed was made of the heaviest of oak wood and she knew it would hold her as she descended. They main thing Belle needed to insure was that the fabric didn't break on her while she was halfway out down the side of the tower.

She tied the fabrics as tight as she could, triple knotting every single last piece. It was a project that, even after working a few hours on it, had barely gotten twenty feet down. The tower was several hundred feet high and Belle was worried that there wasn't enough fabric to reach the bottom after all. However, Belle decided that she'd cross that bridge when she got to it. She didn't want to worry herself too much and then give up completely. After all, she still had plenty of fabric left and there was always the bed covers to use.

As Belle worked, her mind kept drifting back to her conversation with Lumiere. He was, perhaps, one of the kindest man she had ever met, sans her father and the local bookkeeper. The only men she had ever really had contact with were the ones from her village and none of them held the kind of respect and acceptance of Belle as she was like Lumiere had done so. All of them had wanted to mold her into something she was not because they believed that she should be a certain way simply because Belle was a woman. Belle didn't believe in their stereotypes and she reacted accordingly. This led to her being shunned by most of the men and women of her village, except Gaston who seemed to pursue her as if she were prey.

Belle had been complimented plenty of times by Gaston. However, when Lumiere complimented her, she felt like he truly meant what he said. Gaston tried to gain her favor because he fancied her as his "little wife". Lumiere was kind to her because he truly cared about her feelings and wished to be her friend. They've said the same words to her, and yet, Lumiere's felt more real.

It was a feeling that Belle never thought she would ever experience. She had always longed for a friend because being the "funny" girl was a lonely existence. Perhaps coming here and meeting him was an answered prayer.

Then again, she has only had one conversation with him. There was no reason for her to jump to any sort of conclusions. She also couldn't bear the thought of becoming close to anyone here and then leaving them for good. Belle knew that as soon as she had the opportunity, she would escape. Her papa needed her. It would be cruel of her to lead anyone on, especially if their intentions of being her friend were true.

Belle needed to keep her priorities straight. She needed to find a way out of here and not allow her to become close to any of the inhabitants of the castle. She was quite determined with this. So, with a heavy grim feeling in her chest, Belle continued to tie strips of fabric together to make her makeshift rope.

*Lumielle*

"Mama, there's a girl in the castle!"

Lumiere grinned when Chip came rolling in on his plate, sliding between him and Cogsworth and around the table. "Yes, Chip, we know! Slow down before you break your handle." Mrs. Potts called out to her son, sounding every bit the worried mother that she was.

"I can't, I'm too excited!" Chip laughed as he jumped from the table and unto the cart where his mother was located. "What kind of tea do you think she likes? Herbal? Oolong?"

Mrs. Potts just laughed at her son while Lumiere and Cogsworth discussed Belle. "Giving the girl a room was bad enough, but dinner! The master will not be pleased!" Cogsworth reprimanded his old friend.

"Cogsworth, mon ami, you are not seeing the bigger picture here! Have you not thought about how this could be the girl who breaks the curse?" Lumiere nudged him with his elbow. Cogsworth pushed him away while exclaiming that of course he had thought about that, he was not an idiot. "Well then, they need to fall in love, no? The only way for that to happen is for them to spend some time together and get to know one another."

"And what if she doesn't want to, hmm? How do you think that will make the master feel? His temper is bad enough as it is! Imagine adding a girl into that mix! No, I won't allow it. There's simply too much at stake here." Cogsworth shook his head, his decision final.

"Yes, there is too much at stake here. Our entire lives depend on the master finding love. If he does not, we are finished. We should be doing everything in our power to make sure that does not happen." Lumiere reminded the Head of Household. Cogsworth face fell from its stern expression while he processed Lumiere's words. He was right, of course. Everything that they were depended on whether or not their master found love.

However, before Cogsworth could reply, he was startled and then frightened by a loud crash they came from the dining room. It was quickly followed by the Master shouting Lumiere's name in fury.

"Be calm, let me handle this." Lumiere assured Cogsworth, though the majordomo could hear the fear in his friend's voice as well. The double kitchen door slammed open and in walked the beast. His nostrils flared as he glared fiercely at the candelabra. "You're making her dinner." He growled gravely, his tone was threatening.

"Master, I just have to say, I had absolutely no part of this hopeless and idiotic plan of his! Consorting with the prisoner, designing a gown for her, giving her a suite in the east wing!" Cogsworth quickly tried to protect himself from the beast's fury. Lumiere rolled his eyes at his friends cowardice.

"You gave her a bedroom!"

"No, _he_ gave her a bedroom." Cogsworth gestured towards Lumiere. Lumiere stepped forward and put his arms up in surrender.

"This is true." Lumiere waved his hands in front of him, as if to calm the beast fury that was directed towards himself. "However, if she is to be the girl that breaks the curse, perhaps you could start by using dinner to charm her. Good thinking Cogsworth!" Lumiere explained before slapping a startled Cogsworth on the back. "What?!" Cogsworth protested with an irritated glare.

"She's the daughter of a common thief, how do you think that makes her?" The Beast asked, as if he were finding any reason to stay away from the girl. However, Mrs, Potts wasn't having any of that and reminded him that you couldn't judge people based on their father. Still, the beast hesitated. "I wouldn't know what to say to her. She's so beautiful and I'm just a beast. She would never come to care about me as I would for her."

Lumiere shook his head. "Master you must try. Everyday we become less human. She could be the answer to all our problems."

"Just remember that she is still a girl and has feelings just the same as you do." Mrs. Potts reminded him sternly. Lumiere hung his head slightly in shame and nodded.

"Of course, madame. I could never forget that. I simply mean that she could be the one to love you master. You just have to get to know her and have her get to know you. I've talked to the girl already, she is quite interesting. I believe you will like her very much." Lumiere grinned suggestively.

The beast thought about it a minute more. Finally, he nodded and the occupants of the kitchen all cheered. "You must come with me to invite her to dinner. I will not know what to say otherwise." The Beast ordered his servants.

"But of course, master." Lumiere bowed and the other servants quickly followed suit. Then the beast led them out of the kitchen and through the halls towards the east wing. Somewhere along the way, Plummet joined their group. She flew over to land beside Lumiere, who grinned widely at her. "Bonjour, mon amour." He whispered to her.

She giggled and said bonjour back to him before they lapsed into silence. Lumiere wondered how Belle was holding up. He was slightly worried about her reaction to the Beast's proposal of dinner. The maitre d' was well aware that she was having a difficult time and perhaps it was too soon. However, they didn't have time to waste! There were hardly any petals left and soon it would be too late. Belle and his master needed to fall in love.

Still, Lumiere knew this wouldn't be easy. They were pushing Belle too quickly. She had just lost her father and her freedom. Surely she wasn't ready to forgive him. However, they would never know if they didn't try. So Lumiere sucked in a deep breath- despite not having lungs- and hoped for the best. No, he hoped for a miracle because at this point, they needed one.

When they arrived at the door, the beast paused in front, his fist raised as if to knock. He turned to look at his servants, feeling slightly wary now. "Go on." Lumiere waved him on encouragingly.

The Beast took a deep breath before he frowned in determination. He knocked roughly on the door. "You will join me for dinner. That is not a request." He practically growled through the wood. The servants all exchanged horrified looks, already knowing that Belle wouldn't appreciate his forceful tone.

"Gently, master! The girl has lost her father and her freedom all in one day!" Mrs. Potts attempted to sooth the Master of the castle.

Lumiere nodded in agreement. "Yes, the poor thing is probably in there scared to death! You must be charming and kind, and give the girl a dashing debonair smile when she opens the door. Come come, show me the smile!"

He did so, smiling widely and showing off his pointed teeth. The surrounding servants gasped in horror and his smile melted into a frown. "Perhaps we should skip the smile. Just… be yourself. And remember, you must-" Lumiere finished with the rest of the servants also chiming in. "-control your temper!"

The beast looked unsure for a moment more, but finally he turned back around and knocked more gently on the door. "Will you join me for dinner?" He asked, this time in a more singsong tone. He turned and shrugged at his servants, unsure of whether or not he did it right. Then the master of the castle turned back to the door and they all waited with bated breaths to hear Belle's reply.

*Lumielle*

Belle stood on a stool and looked out her window to see how far the room went now. It still wasn't nearly long enough and she nearly groaned in frustration. Her hands were beginning to burn from pulling the fabric tightly together. As this point, it might take well into the next morning before she completed her task. She might have to wait to leave until the following night. She shuddered at the thought of staying more in this castle for any longer than necessary. Belle wanted to return home to her papa as quickly as possible.

There was a very forceful knock at her door, startling Belle. She gripped the edge of the windowsill to prevent herself from falling out. "You will join me for dinner. That is not a request." The beast voice came from the other side of the wooden door.

She frowned. How dare he try to control her? It's bad enough that he took her away from her father and made her his prisoner, now he wanted to have dinner? Was he insane? Belle opted to ignore him, praying that he would go away. However, a minute later, he spoke again. This time his voice was much calmer, but with singsong tone that sounded fake. "Will you join me for dinner?"

"You've taken me as your prisoner and now you want to have dinner with me? Are you insane?" Belle hissed as she walked towards the door. She glared, knowing that the beast was just on the other side. If looks could kill, Belle knew he wouldn't last another minute!

She was startled when he once more knocked on the door. The wood shuddered at the force and Belle feared that it would break. She took a step back, knowing if it did so, she would want to stay away from any flying splinters! "I told you to join me for dinner!" He yelled this time in fury.

"And I told you no!" Belle yelled back, just as angry as he was. Madame Garderobe sprung awake and looked around the room in alarm. "I'd starve before I ever ate with you." Belle sneered before turning away from the door.

"Well, be my guest!" The beast snapped, causing Belle to look back at the door. "If she doesn't eat with me, she doesn't eat at all!" He yelled at whoever was on the other side with him. "Idiots!" Belle winced, feeling back for the servants of the castle. She had only met three of them, but they seemed nice enough. No one deserved the kind of treatment he bestowed upon them. It simply wasn't right.

With a heavy sigh, Belle turned back to her rope. It was certainly going to be a long night indeed.

*Lumielle*

An hour had passed and Belle could feel herself becoming weak with fatigue and hunger. She hadn't ate since this morning and the events of the day had quickly tired her out. Belle had no intention on stopping though. She needed to get as much of this rope done as soon as possible so she could make her escape.

Belle threw what she had down the edge of the castle and sighed when she realized it still wasn't nearly long enough. She was thinking about taking a break when there was another knock at her door. Belle grew irritated at being interrupted once more. Why couldn't the beast simply leave her be? "I told you to go away." She called out, her voice cold.

"It's alright dear, it's only Mrs. Potts!" A kind voice called back. Quickly, Belle turned to her rope and pushed it to the side of the window to hide it. Then she kicked what was tied to the edge of the bed to the side and stood in front of it just as the door opened.

In rolled a teapot pot riding on a black tray. Hiding behind her, Belle could make out a shy little teacup. "Oh my, aren't you a vision!" She greeted, much the same as Madame Gardarobe had done so. "How lovely to make your acquaintance."

Belle winced when she rolled up far enough into the room to see the rope Belle had been making. She felt an icy fear grip her and Belle feared the teapot would tell her master. However, Mrs. Potts simply looked worried. "Oh dear, it's quite a long journey. Let me just fix you up before you go. I've heard that even the worse troubles seem less troubling after a bracing cup of tea!" Mrs. Potts filled up the teacup with tea and he jumped down the side of the cart and towards Belle. "Slowly Chip."

Belle bent down and picked the cup up, smiling warmly as she took a small sip. Chip giggled and when Belle brought him up to her face, he greeted her. "Pleased to meet you! Want to see a trick?" He asked her before he held his breath and made a bubble appear on top of the tea, which popped when it grew too big. Belle smiled while his mother reprimanded him. Chip only grinned sheepishly and Belle softened at the childlike expression. He was clearly quite young.

"That was a very brave thing you did for your father, dear." Mrs. Potts told her when Belle returned Chip to the tray. Madame Gardarobe opened her doors and spoke in a gentle voice, "Yes, we all think so."

"I'm worried about him. He's never been on his own before." Belle found it quite easy to open up to these two. Both of them had a motherly presence that calmed her. It was honestly very refreshing. "Don't you worry dear, everything will turn out in the end, you'll see!" Mrs. Potts tried to assure her. "Now, why don't we get you something to eat."

"But I thought he said that if 'she doesn't eat with me, then she doesn't eat at all'?" Belle wondered with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, people say a lot of things in anger. It is our choice whether or not to listen to them." Mrs. Potts began rolling out of the room, but Belle paused unsure. Her stomach grumbled, but still Belle hesitated. She had so much work to do. Was it worth taking a quick break to get something to eat? Or would she simply be risking the masters wrath and her plans to escape would blow up in her face. "You coming poppet?"

Belle looked over at Madame Gardarobe, curious about her thoughts. The wardrobe simply gestured for her to follow after the teapot and teacup. "Go on, dear." She said kindly. After only a second more of hesitation, Belle followed after them. She sincerely hoped she wasn't making a mistake.

 **And scene! Alright so not much interaction between Belle and Lumiere in this chapter, but you got an inside look into their thoughts about their conversation. Obviously sparks aren't going to fly just yet! The two of them have only just met! Next chapter is Be Our Guest and Belle will get to see a new side of Lumiere. That should definitely be interesting. Hang tight guys, I'll be back with the next chapter as soon as I write it. And then edit it like twenty times.**

 **Please, leave me a review! Your words of encouragement are what keep me going in these dark times (though they're not really dark, I just like to be dramatic).**


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